Grim-and-gritty is officially old and boring

This had started out as a longer, probably much more convoluted post about Mark Millar, the cult of personality that seems to have sprung up around certain comic book writers, and the apparent addiction to gore and ultra-violence that both Marvel and DC have been guilty of, but instead I'll boil it down to a simple question that I put to you, my Internet Pals:

Are people finally getting tired of it all?

I ask because I've been sensing some push-back recently, and I'm not sure if I'm actually detecting a ripple in the Force or if it's just wishful thinking. In either case, here are some things to consider:

Kick-Ass, which was hyped so hard people back in the 1920s have probably heard about it, just kind of petered out this weekend when it opened nationally. Sure, it was No. 1, but by just barely bringing in $19.8 million compared to How to Train Your Dragon's $19.6 mil. (a kid's movie that was already in its fourth week).

No doubt the hardcore Millar fans were lined up, but what about the rest of the geek chorus? Did they reject the movie the way some have been rejecting it and the comic online lately? Or is just a matter of little name-recognition and mainstream audiences being gun-shy (heh) about a movie riding mostly on its more interesting supporting character, an 11-year-old girl who curses a lot and is a ninja?

The other thing that caught my attention was the first few pages of Brightest Day #0, the kick-off to what DC promises is a shiny and new direction spanning the publisher's superhero line. A direction apparently best expressed by showing a baby bird falling from a tree, bloodily cracking itself open on a headstone and then laying crumpled on the ground, dead.

Marvel is also trumpeting the launch of the very similar Heroic Age event, noise that sounds tinny considering Millar, Brian Michael Bendis and Jeph Loeb have spent years upping the body count for the publisher while sealing it in a slick veneer of "coolz." (I feel I have to point out, as so many have before, that Loeb was responsible for the "Blob cannibalizing Wasp, like, RIGHT THERE" scene in his Ultimatum series.)

Both companies say they're paving the way to a lighter tone in their books and moving away from the grim-and-gritty aesthetic that keeps getting grimmer and grittier. And I have to wonder — are the Big Two full of shit?


Because I don't see it. And I'm curious whether other people are missing it, too, and if there is some kind of grit-fatigue setting in, like a comic book readers' version of Seasonal Affective Disorder. It bothers me because it's gotten ... stupid. And distracting. And, worst of all, boring. Bo-ring. Both publishers has created a system and style that encourages big, flashy set pieces tied together with the flimsiest of dialogue and piecemeal plot points at the expense of, y'know, a story.

(I know this isn't true of every single title either company puts out — both produce comics I love, but let's stick to generalities for the sake of this discussion.)

Now that the Big Two are promising to do things differently, how will readers react if they don't? It wouldn't be the first time either one has promised more than they delivered, but I wonder if there's more at stake this time. I kind of doubt it — fanboys have short memories and a limitless ability to gripe-and-forgive. But, man, I'd sure like to believe it.

As corny as it sounds, maybe it's time for Marvel and DC to have a little less shock and awe, and a little more aw, shucks in their comics.

Staple! Bound

It's that time of year again; the weather is warming up, the sun is shining a little brighter and Staple! — one of the best indie cons in the region — is just over the horizon.

I seem to say this every time, but I have to because it's always true — Staple! gets better every single year. Now on its sixth go-round, the independent media expo will again be an event you should attend if you're anywhere near the Austin area on March 6. Heck, even if you're not you should consider attending since the line-up will include:

• Guy Davis, the current artist on B.P.R.D.

• Andy Runton, who cranks up the cute with Owly

• Chris Schweizer, author of the Crogan's Adventure series of graphic novels, who will also be giving a talk on entertaining and educational cartooning

• Jason Neulander, the Austin-based producer, director, and co-creator of The Intergalactic Nemesis, a radio drama/stage show that has since spawned a "live-action graphic novel" and, finally, a comic book.

That's only the tip of the 85-plus exhibitors iceberg, and without fail every guest, exhibitor, artist, writer and miscellaneous creator has been engaging, friendly and more than willing to spend time with fans. Staple! is always a good time, and I really think it's on the verge of going big-time — go now so you can say you knew-it-when. Besides, it's only $5 to get in — five bucks!

Also, I'll be volunteering again this year, so if you see what you suspect is a sasquatch at the ticket booth, be sure to say hello. And I wouldn't say no to a cookie.

This year I'm especially excited about the performance of the first two episodes of the live-action Intergalactic Nemesis. It's a crazy fusion of media wrapped around a scene-chewing pulp center, featuring three actors, a Foley artist and a keyboardist set against a backdrop showcasing the work of local graphic artist Tim Doyle. The story itself is a period-action-sci-fi-horor-space-opera set in 1933 following the adventures of reporter Molly Sloan and her assistant, Timmy Mendez, as they cross swords with mesmerist Mysterion the Magnificent. And an invasion of sludge-monsters from the planet Zygon. As you might guess, it's pretty fantastic.

More information about The Intergalactic Nemesis in all its forms (issue #2 of the comic is due in stores soon and will also be available at Staple!), as well as future performances can be found at the Web site.

And again, that's just part of what is planned for this year's expo, so I hope to see you there — if you're missing Staple!, you're missing out.

•••

Staple!

March 6, 2010
Monarch Event Center
Austin, Texas

Doors open at 11 a.m.
Tickets: $5

The Monkey's kung fu just got stronger

Those of you who are into the process of creating a comic, particularly scripting and plotting, should swing by John Rogers' blog Kung Fu Monkey and check out the posts by new contributor, Mark Waid.

As many of you probably already know, Rogers is the co-creator and writer behind the first few storylines for Blue Beetle. He's also the guy behind the just-premiered cable series Leverage, and is well known for sharing writing and process advice at his blog.

Now he's added Mark Waid (writer of Kingdom Come and editor-in-chief at BOOM! Studios) and Michael Alan Nelson (who writes BOOM's Fall of Cthulhu and Hexed, and a personal favorite) to the team, and it looks like it should be some good stuff. Waid already has a couple of posts up, the latest of which is a clean and simple primer on how comic book scripts should be approached.

If you're at all interested in writing your own comics, go give it a look.

Like 'A Christmas Carol,' but with Hulks

So I get back from my trip and come across this:

"The holiday season is here and what better way to celebrate it than with the Incredible Hulk and Rampaging Rulk? Marvel is proud to unveil both Hulk #9 Santa Hulk Variant covers, illustrated by superstar artist Ed McGuinness, so you can celebrate with the stars of 2008’s hottest ongoing series! Written by Eisner-Winning, Emmy-Winning scribe Jeph Loeb and with art by superstars Frank Cho and Art Adams, including 50/50 variant covers from each artist, you get two incredible stories—one starring Rulk and another starring… WENDIHULK!? (or is it HULKDIGO!?)"

Congratulations, Marvel: I officially want to punch you in the balls. I know you've been calling the Red Hulk "Rulk," but you're actually planning to go with that? Seriously? I don't necessarily expect high literature from my Hulk comics, but "Rulk?!" (I just noticed the stocking — argh!)

And is it just me, or does it seem as if we're reaching a tipping point on the variant covers thing? Have we learned nothing? Am I going to end up on a beach shaking my fist at a giant statue of Ripclaw?!

... Hulkdigo ... eesh ...

End of the line for Minx

CBR broke the news yesterday that DC is killing the Minx line, and I can't say I'm surprised.

Minx, a young adult imprint geared primarily toward teenage girls, never really seemed to find its footing and failed to build up any kind of real momentum. I won't pretend to have a full understanding of all the nuances — marketing, the vagaries of book store placement or final sale numbers — but I feel comfortable saying this: From the few titles I read, and judging by the various reviews I digested, the Minx books just weren't very good.

Again, I didn't read a whole lot of the Minx books. Mostly it was because the story outlines didn't interest me (and to be fair, they weren't really done with a late-30s dude in mind) or I lost interest once I read lukewarm reviews. And the ones I did read were just ... OK. Ish.

Was it a matter of hype? Were expectations set too high? I don't think so. Any new imprint, particularly from the Big Two, is going to get a huge marketing push, with plenty of noise and glitter. Whether or not they make it, though, is primarily up to the consumer.

(That's ignoring the seemingly growing, movie industry-like tendency to cut a title if it's not an instant bestseller — but that's a whole other discussion.)

In general, Minx looked as if it had its collective head in the right place, with a range of writers and artists (some of whom already had YA credentials) and story ideas that were broad and varied. The problem often was how those ideas were executed; blandly.

I don't know where the inertia came from, but I know it was there and almost from the beginning. When the Minx line launched I was still working at a local comic book shop, and there wasn't much customer interest in it beyond the curiosity surrounding the first releases. I think we did a front-of-store display, and then the books quietly faded into the shelves of the so-called "drama" section. I don't remember any of the employees — a pretty diverse group where reading habits were concerned — being all that excited about the Minx line, even after reading a title or two. Sometimes reading that second book only cemented the initial indifference. I certainly don't remember any customers coming in after the launch and asking specifically for a Minx book.

But I think the Minx line is worth saving — in some form, at least. Some of the stories showed real potential to carry an ongoing series of books, and I'm glad DC is apparently planning to keep publishing at least a few of the Minx titles for now. What I'd like to see the publisher do is bring those books, and any other similar future titles, together under a general Young Adults line, something that will serve the oh-so-coveted group of readers that are too old for Johnny DC and perhaps not ready (or even interested) in the main DC and Vertigo lines — an "indie" line for kids who aren't necessarily children anymore.

A line geared toward girls and boys (which, honestly, I think the Minx books were anyway) who are looking for something other than spandex or the latest profanity-filled Vertigo offering would be appealing. And not just to 'tweens.

Minx was a good idea — I just don't know if it was completely thought out by DC.

San Diego Comic-Con, sexual harrasment and what's not being done

It's difficult to know which is more disappointing: The fact that sexual and general harassment can be allowed to happen at the world's largest comic and pop culture convention, or that hearing about it can elicit everything from anger to disgust, but not surprise.

John DiBello helps Bully put his always charming blog together, and recently posted about the sort of behavior that stupidly, but consistently, occurs at the San Diego Comic-Con. It's wrong and it shouldn't be tolerated on any level, which makes it shocking that there is no official Con policy to prevent or deal with harassment during the event.

As a group, as fans and supporters of the medium, we should be better than this.

To help get the word out, I'm cross-posting John's original post below. I encourage you to get it out there by posting it to your own blog, sending a link to any of the blog trackers available, or even just talking about it with your friends and fellow fans. The Con should be fun — and safe — for everyone.

---

Overheard at San Diego Comic-Con while I was having lunch on the balcony of the Convention Center on Sunday July 27: a bunch of guys looking at the digital photos on the camera of another, while he narrated: "These were the Ghostbusters girls. That one, I grabbed her ass, 'cause I wanted to see what her reaction was." This was only one example of several instances of harassment, stalking or assault that I saw at San Diego this time.

1. One of my friends was working at a con booth selling books. She was stalked by a man who came to her booth several times, pestering her to get together for a date that night. One of her co-workers chased him off the final time.

2. On Friday, just before the show closed, this same woman was closing up her tables when a group of four men came to her booth, started taking photographs of her, telling her she was the "prettiest girl at the con." They they entered the booth, started hugging and kissing her and taking photographs of themselves doing so. She was confused and scared, but they left quickly after doing that.

3. Another friend of mine, a woman running her own booth: on Friday a man came to her booth and openly criticized her drawing ability and sense of design. Reports from others in the same section of the floor confirmed he'd targeted several women with the same sort of abuse and criticism.

Quite simply, this behavior has got to stop at Comic-Con. It should never be a sort of place where anyone, man or woman, feels unsafe or attacked either verbally or physically in any shape or form. There are those, sadly, who get off on this sort of behavior and assault, whether it's to professional booth models, cosplayers or costumed women, or women who are just there to work. This is not acceptable behavior under any circumstance, no matter what you look like or how you're dressed, whether you are in a Princess Leia slave girl outfit or business casual for running your booth.

On Saturday, the day after the second event I described above, I pulled out my convention book to investigate what you can do and who you can speak to after such an occurrence. On page two of the book there is a large grey box outlining "Convention Policies," which contain rules against smoking, live animals, wheeled handcarts, recording at video presentations, drawing or aiming your replica weapon, and giving your badge to others. There is nothing about attendee-to-attendee personal behavior.

Page three of the book contains a "Where Is It?" guide to specific Comic-Con events and services. There's no general information room or desk listed, nor is there a contact location for security, so I go to the Guest Relations Desk. I speak to a volunteer manning the desk; she's sympathetic to the situation but who doesn't have a clear answer to my question: "What's Comic-Con's policy and method of dealing with complaints about harassment?" She directs me to the nearest security guard, who is also sympathetic listening to my reports, but short of the women wanting to report the incidents with the names of their harassers, there's little that can be done.

"I understand that," I tell them both, "but what I'm asking is more hypothetical and informational: if there is a set Comic-Con policy on harassment and physical and verbal abuse on Con attendees and exhibitors, and if so, what's the specific procedure by which someone should report it, and specifically where should they go?" But this wasn't a question either could answer.

So, according to published con policy, there is no tolerance for smoking, drawn weapons, personal pages or selling bootleg videos on the floor, and these rules are written down in black and white in the con booklet. There is not a word in the written rules about harassment or the like. I would like to see something like "Comic-Con has zero tolerance for harassment or violence against any of our attendees or exhibitors. Please report instances to a security guard or the Con Office in room XXX."

The first step to preventing such harassment is giving its victims the knowledge that they can safely and swiftly report such instances to someone in authority. Having no published guideline, and indeed being unable to give a clear answer to questions about it, gives harassment and violence one more rep-tape loophole to hide behind.

I enjoyed Comic-Con. I'm looking forward to coming back next year. So, in fact, are the two women whose experiences I've retold above. Aside from those instances, they had a good time at the show. But those instances of harassment shouldn't have happened at all, and that they did under no clear-cut instructions about what to do sadly invites the continuation of such behavior, or even worse.

I don't understand why there's no such written policy about what is not tolerated and what to do when this happens. Is there anyone at Comic-Con able to explain this? Does a similar written policy exist in the booklets for other conventions (SF, comics or otherwise) that could be used as a model? Can it be adapted or adapted, and enforced, for Comic-Con? As the leading event of the comics and pop culture world, Comic-Con should work to make everyone who attends feel comfortable and safe.

— John DiBello

For what it's worth

I'm not trying to jump on any bandwagon here, but I do want to say that I'm with Kevin on this one.

Originally I had a whole, long-winded post thought out on it, but it's really pretty simple: Telling people not to buy something you're trying to sell — for no reason other than it doesn't match your personal taste — is not good business.

And let's stress that particular point: If you have opened a shop with the intent of selling comics, you've opened a business. And the goal of a business, any business, is to make money. That doesn't mean you deal with your customers dishonestly, it doesn't mean you become a huckster trying to blow sunshine up people's asses, and it doesn't mean you sacrifice customer service for profit. But it also doesn't mean you preemptively discourage sales, either.

But if you just opened a shop to build yourself a clubhouse where you can immerse yourself in your hobby ... well, good luck to you. Hopefully your membership will be large enough to support your business.

For future reference, though; taking a product you eventually want to sell and telling potential customers to "Not Buy" it makes no sense.

Fiduciary Friday: Nickel and dimed

OK, this isn't really going to become a regular feature, but it is a topic I'll probably come back to once in a while because, just as it does with everything else, money makes the comic book world go 'round.

A few months ago I asked the question, "How is the slipping U.S. economy affecting the way you buy comics?" Most of the respondents (as I remember it — I know I saved it, but for the life of me I can't find my copy of the poll results) said that, so far at least, the economy hadn't had any affect on the amount of money they regularly spent on comics.

When the final results were in, I was a little surprised until I realized my buying habits hadn't really changed either. Sure, I was more aware of how much money I was spending, and there were occasions when I would cut a comic from my weekly pile, but for the most part I tended to spend the same amount of money week after week. Things were just beginning to look shaky on the national economic front, but it wasn't enough to have any real, personal daily impact.

That, as they say, was then. Luckily for my wife and I, our lifestyle hasn't changed dramatically, but it has changed a bit. And if we were aware of expenditures before, brother you better believe we're really aware of them now. Aware enough that I found myself wondering last week, "Hm ... does it make sense to spend this money every week when I could save a little cash by buying trades of the stuff I really, really want instead? Am I just wasting my money?" (You'll notice I didn't consider not buying comics at all — what are you, crazy?) I also know I drop titles that I'm iffy about more quickly now, and I've also cut titles to make room for new ones I'm interested in so I can stay within my spending range.

Like of lot of the poll respondents I've got a weekly budget, and at $15 to $20 I think mine is fairly modest (especially compared to some of the buy-lists I've seen on other blogs that regularly have a couple of dozen books listed, as well as trades, hardcover collections and omnibuses). I also know that if the cover price of a comic was to rise in any significant way (which I think could be a distinct possibility), it would definitely mean less comics would be coming home with me.

And that brings me to my question: How much money do you spend on comics every week? How would a price increase your buying habits? And I'd also like to know how you'd answer a familiar question — has the worsening U.S. economy affected how you buy your comics?

There is a caveat (ain't there always?): I know many of you work in comic book shops or subscribe to a pull, so I'd like to know how much you spend with and without the discount because even a small cut in price can make the difference between picking up a particular comic or not. There will be a couple of polls over on the right, and I'd really like to hear your opinions in the comments.

Artist Michael Turner, 37, passes away

Michael Turner, the well-known artist whose distinctive style could be found on a host of comic book covers and which drew readers to titles including Witchblade, Superman/Batman and his creator-owned Fathom and Soulfire, died Friday (June 27, 2008) after an eight-year fight with cancer.

Turner was only 37, making his sudden death even sadder when you consider he likely had a long and productive career ahead of him. My condolences and best wishes go to his family, friends and fans.

For more details on Turner, his career and some nice remembrances from those who knew him, there are articles at Newsarama and Comic Book Resources. The publishing company he founded, Aspen Comics, is also asking people to consider making a donation to the American Cancer Society or the Make-A-Wish Foundation; the two charities were chosen by Turner, and contributions can be made in his name.

What if ... DiDio didn't run DC?

So rumors have been flying all week about the possibility that Dan DiDio is in imminent danger of getting the ax. Comments made by legendary writer Chuck Dixon helped turn the usual smoldering speculation into a gossip-fueled brushfire, and I haven't seen anyone say that it's not a real possibility that DC's senior vice-president and executive editor could be fired.

I'm not going to get into the question of whether or not it would be a good thing to show DiDio the door (there's a tongue-twister for you). Editorially it's almost a matter of opinion reflecting whether or not you like the kind of stories DC's been putting out; in my opinion, that's been a mixed bag, at best. Financially ... well, it's hard to argue that Marvel isn't doing pretty well.

At the core of all the speculation, and any final decision the folks up in the Time-Warner Tower of Doom end up making, is this question: Where do we want DC to go?

Which is the same question I have as a reader and a fan of comics, and I'm curious to hear your opinions: If Dan DiDio were to be fired, what changes would you like to see take place at DC? What DiDio driven directions (again with the alliteration) would you like to see reversed? A lot of people seem to assume that things at ol' Detective Comics would automatically be better with his ouster, so how do we define "better?"

So tell me what you think: Where do you want DC to go?

I (heart) Chris Sims

Yes, that's right — I have total novela-style man-love for Sims today, because over at the Invincible Super-Blog he's got the smartest and funniest response to a racist moron you could hope for — que chistoso!

Can't talk ...

... I'm reading a stack of free comics! And then later I'm going to see Iron Man, so today is like some sort of comic geek's perfect storm.

Austin Books and Comics, my awesome LCS, had a limit of 10 comics per person but the pile's a little bigger than that since my wife went with me and basically picked up whatever I didn't. Here's what I'm working my way through, in no particular order:

• Gumby

• Owly and Friends!

• Walt Disney's Gyro Gearloose

• Archie's Pal Jughead

• Hellboy: The Mole

• Gekiga!

• The Moth

• Atomic Robo

• Graphic Classics

• EC Sampler

• Ignatz

• Maintenance

• Dan Dare

• Comic Strip Masterpieces

It looks like there's a lot of good stuff this year, and my wife has already laughed her way through Comic Strip Masterpieces. I also grabbed Visionaries: Thor Vol. 1, featuring Walter Simonson, for 50 percent off so I think my weekend is booked.

In case you haven't already, be sure to get to your local shop and take your pick of some free swag (and if you can spare the cash, why not show your LCS a little love while you're there?). And hey, maybe you could bring friends who are new to comics along and use this as a chance to introduce them to the wide variety of comics out there.

OK — back to the stack!

Justice for Jerry Siegel

If you've followed comics at all, or have ever looked into the issue of creator's rights, you probably know the notorious story of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.

Siegel and Shuster aren't as well known as their creation, but in 1938 the writer and artist saw their character, Superman, hit the streets in the pages of Action Comics #1. And like a lot of artists of the time — whether they were authors, composers or almost any other creative-type at the time — they were screwed. Losing their rights to Superman left the men with $130 bucks and a job working on a character that was no longer theirs. For a long time, they didn't even get credit for coming up with the idea at all.

Finally, that changed a bit recently when a judged ruled that Jerry Siegel's estate should be given half of the copyright to the original 1938 story. It's a little complicated, and Dirk Deppey sums it up much better than I could, but here's what I understood of it:

• The copyright given back to the estate is pretty narrow, and character developments that have happened since will still have to be hashed out, but the basic defining characteristics of the Superman character have been acknowledged as being created by Siegel and Shuster.

• Since Siegel and Shuster created Superman before taking it to Detective Comics, it doesn't come under the work-for-hire rules. In other words, DC doesn't have a right to the original character, the creators do. Whoops!

• The Shuster estate will be able to file for the same reversion rights in 2013, which if I understand this correctly means Siegel and Shuster could have full ownership of the original Superman concept (along with all things "Superman," such as Lois, Jimmy, Perry, Lex and the Daily Planet) sometime after the next five years.

As Dirk mentioned in his column (other items might be NSFW), this won't really change how DC uses Superman in their comics and merchandising. But it does mean the men who created the character — a character so iconic that just his symbol is recognized around the world — will finally get the official credit they deserve, and their estates will get a piece of the financial pie DC has fattened itself on for 70 years.

Think about that — 70 years. That's a long time to wait for what should have been yours in the first place. At the risk of being corny, I just want to say congratulations to Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, wherever they are — and thanks.


Panels from Action Comics #1
Jerry Siegel, writer; Joe Shuster, artist

Hey kids - online comics!

I just found out about this, but Dark Horse is apparently going to be uploading a chapter of the manhwa Shaman Warrior once a week for all to read, and judging by the first chapter it'll be pretty freakin' awesome. Especially if you're into the sword fighting/touch of mysticism thing — which I am. It doesn't hurt that the art is very strong (the detail, particularly the facial expressions, is great), and there are two major sword fights in the first 32 pages!

I don't know if the publisher is picking up on the strategy Boom! Studios is trying out with North Wind, but between this and Dark Horse Presents it seems like Dark Horse is making a real push in bringing comics online.

Good for them. I don't think e-comics will ever fully replace the usual paper-and-staple, but there's no reason it can't be a viable alternative. And if it introduces people to new titles (I'd never heard of Shaman Warrior before), all the better.

Mature content: Can older readers equal new comic book fans?

It’s a common topic of discussion in the comics community: How do we – fans, booksellers, creators and publishers – bring new readers into comics?

When it comes to younger readers, we think we’ve got a good idea of how to go about it. Age-appropriate storylines, tie-ins with popular cartoons and titles that can act as a bridge between kiddy books and the regular lines (titles like Runaways, for instance) are common wisdom. And it makes sense – getting new readers when they’re young should help keep the medium fresh and creative, and from a business perspective it helps lay the foundation for future sales.

But what about adult readers? How do you take the average person who might wander into a typical comic book store after watching the latest superhero movie and turn them into ongoing comic readers?

There are some hurdles that can be tough to overcome, not least of which is, ironically, that well-known stigma of comics being “just for kids.” But I think it’s mostly a problem of familiarity – most people just don’t think of comics as “reading,” and even people who do read comics aren’t necessarily knowledgeable of all the various genres that are out there.

When I was working in a comic shop I prided myself on being able to guide people to titles they might not have given a chance otherwise. Best of all was introducing customers to books they never would have thought of but ended up really enjoying. But I had an advantage – they were already coming into the store looking for comics.

It’s a different story outside of the shop. Talking to people who don’t normally read comics is a much tougher sell, and my batting average has only been … well, average. A few people have become regular readers of one or two titles, but more often I’ve gotten polite disinterest and a promise to “catch up with the collections.” A lot of times it’s just the disinterest.

Take, for instance, my wife. In the years that we’ve been together, I’ve rarely been able to entice her into reading comics. My wife is very into history, world cultures and complex storytelling (Russian literature is her favorite), so I thought Neil Gaiman’s Sandman would be a no-brainer. It turned out to be a non-starter, and I was stumped.

Later, she enthusiastically plowed through Art Spiegelman’s Maus, and later still she did the same with Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis series. Now I think I have a better idea of what kind of comics my wife would be interested in, but I don’t force it (just because it’s my hobby doesn’t mean I expect it to be everybody’s). As it is, it took a while to figure out what kind of books she might like, and I know her better than any random customer.

I wonder why it was so tricky, and it makes me wonder about the market at large. Is it a problem of culture? Other countries don’t seem to have the problem of comics being considered an immature hobby, or as something you’re supposed to outgrow.

Is it a problem of format? People in general seem to expect more magazine for their three bucks (and I can’t really blame them for that), and it might be why there’s a trend toward “waiting for the trade.” But how many of those people actually pick up a trade that comes out months after a comic initially grabbed their attention? And there’s also a learning curve, because it sometimes takes a while for new readers to realize that there are a number of writers and artists and combinations of the two, some of which they’ll like and others they’ll just hate, and it take some patience to navigate all that. How do you convince people it's worth the effort?

Or is it a matter of content? It isn’t fair to expect new readers to be knowledgeable about every genre out there, particularly the independent titles that often escape the notice of even dedicated comic fans. That mostly leaves comics that really are meant for kids or mainstream books that seem to be relying more on cartoony violence and gore, along with a helping of adolescent attempts at titillation.

This isn’t meant to be a knock on those kinds of books (look at my pull-list and you’ll see I have no room to judge), but it doesn’t exactly do anything to dispel the immature image the comics community is trying to fight off.

Which brings me back to my original question: How do we - fans, booksellers, creators and publishers – bring new adult readers into comics? And once we do, how do we keep them there?

Or should concentration stay on younger readers, with the hope that they'll continue to be fans after they've grown up?